


Hope

by AvengTris



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-05
Updated: 2013-04-05
Packaged: 2017-12-07 14:10:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/749400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvengTris/pseuds/AvengTris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bitterness is Loki's friend. Hope is Loki's enemy. Love is the curse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hope

_"Maybe I will visit her myself."_

_  
_Loki leaned against the wall of his Asgardian home...well what _used_ to be his home. He was a slave now, his armor, his riches had been ripped from his hands and he now served Thor, silently and without complaint. Not that he had much of a choice, given the fact that his lips were sewn shut. Thor's deep voice was low, low and rich with emotion. Beside him, Jane stood, so short she looked like a child next to him. Yet, regal, the blue silks that Frigga had given her suited the mortal well. And there she was, on Thor's arm. Smiling with stars in her eyes, foolish in the presence of the golden son. Like all women. Like all people. 

Unlike Loki.

While both he and Thor had promised to visit Jane after their battle, only Loki had. Only Loki had visited her, shared a casual drink with her in a bar and Loki had nearly lured her into his grasp when she remembered her beloved Thor and had fled from him. Loki had been the one to visit her, the one to offer her words of comfort when she admitted that the guy she liked hadn't returned. And even when Thor  _had_ returned to Earth, he had not visited her. Yet, oddly enough, Jane had forgotten all about that and gladly hung on his arm. Loki would never admit just how much that action had caused his chest to tighten. He reserved his fury to cold looks.

He wasn't the only one.

Sif stood off the side, pretending to overlook the beautiful city of Asgard, while sneaking sidelong glances of hate at Jane. Loki wished that he could choose a side but in truth, he could not. For once, he had too courted Sif and she had played along with him. It wasn't until later that Loki learned that Sif had been indeed  _playing with_ him, all so that she could catch Thor's attention. After that Loki had chopped her hair. He would never admit that he had kept a lock of her once golden hair hidden in his chambers until he became king and had burned it when Sif openly challenged him to bring Thor back.

His precious brother. 

Revenge. Blood. Glory.  _Sentiment._ That was all Loki had ever wanted. But now he could have none of those things. And with the awful sentence that he faced, the silence that was now his one and only friend, and the darkness that became his comfort, Loki realized that what he truly wanted, what he had fought for all his life was love. That was all. And Thor had stolen all of it, every single piece. 

Thor. Thor. Thor.  _Thor._

Loki began to form a plan.

* * *

_"There will be no crevice where he can't find you."_

Loki banged his forehead against the wall, once, twice. He was aiming for a third when an annoyingly familiar voice burst out, "Hey, hey! No getting blood on that wall. I just had it repainted to cover up...your blood actually."

Laughter erupted and Loki's teeth ground behind his sewn lips. He could hear the soft breathy chuckle that belonged to Banner, the deep gut  laughter that belonged to Barton, the deep chuckle of rolling stones that was Thor's, the higher, clearer pitch of laughter that belonged to Stark, the silent laughter that came from Rogers. The one person he couldn't hear was Romanoff. Perhaps she was just smiling, without showing her teeth. He had seen her do that plently of times. The dark past seemed to cling to her very soul. Loki wondered if she - like him - could feel the happiness fading.

He hadn't asked to come here, he hadn't asked to be the subject of constant torment. If only the Guardians had done their job and killed Thanos. Now a new war was brewing, and Odin had sent Thor to Midgard to join the Avengers. Loki had been lucky enough to accompany him. It had been two weeks of silence on Thanos's part, so far he had attacked no one and had not contacted the Avengers.

But he had contacted Loki.

Nightmares that had Loki clawing at his lips, hysteria that had caused Loki to giggle against his bloody lips. How long did Loki have? He had failed Thanos, had not been able to fulfill his promise to him. Loki the God of Mischief appeared to have lied to "The Great One". Loki estimated that he had not years, not months...not days but hours. Thor didn't know the threat that hung over Loki's head. Loki wondered if he would care, his brother was foolish that way. Loving something that destroyed love.

"Why aren't you saying anything Loki? Cat got your tongue?" Stark said.

"More like lips," Barton said. Again laughter rang.

Loki's eyes closed.

"Enough, you guys. Let's just get back to work," a soft, raspy and sensual voice cut through the chuckles. Loki looked over his shoulder and met her eyes, sharp and clear they were. So like his own. He nodded once in thank you, she inclined her head in acknolwedgement, a curious darkness spreading over her eyes. Their eyes locked, and Loki felt the air press around them, the space between them seemed to crackle with energy. Like it had the first time they had met, though Loki had been so crazed he had not noticed until after. Loki looked away, ignoring the stirring in his heart. He had tried love, not once but twice. He had failed. 

He couldn't help but hope.


End file.
